How do you make volume keys and mute key work in Xmonad

Question

I am new to Xmonad (just installed it yesterday), and since I have never used haskell before, I found configuration a little bit confusing for me. I got somewhat made xmobar and trayer work, but I have no idea how might I make multimedia keys to adjust volume. Can anyone help with that?

Additional question: How do you manage your volume in xmonad. Do you use tray icon, or other things like that?

Here is my xmonad configuration:

import XMonad
import XMonad.Hooks.DynamicLog
import XMonad.Hooks.ManageDocks
import XMonad.Util.EZConfig(additionalKeys)
import System.IO

main = xmonad =<< statusBar myBar myPP toggleStrutKey myConfig

-- Command to launch the bar
myBar = "xmobar"

-- Custom PP, it determines what is written to the bar
myPP = xmobarPP { ppCurrent = xmobarColor "#429942" "" . wrap "<" ">" }

-- Key bindings to toggle the gap for the bar
toggleStrutKey XConfig {XMonad.modMask = modMask} = (modMask, xK_b)

myConfig = defaultConfig {
    manageHook = manageDocks <+> manageHook defaultConfig,
    layoutHook = avoidStruts $ layoutHook defaultConfig,
    modMask = mod4Mask -- Rebind Mod to windows key
    } `additionalKeys`
    [ ((mod4Mask .|. shiftMask, xK_z), spawn "xscreensaver-command -lock")
    ]

score 30 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 17 '17 at 16:19

Use 'xev' and tap the multimedia keys to discover their names. One might be 'XF86XK_AudioMute'. Then look at the contents of '/usr/include/X11/XF86keysym.h' and look for the name. On my system, 'XF86XK_AudioMute' is '0x1008FF12'.

Drop that where you would put a key in your config file. It might look like this:

import XMonad
import XMonad.Hooks.DynamicLog
import XMonad.Hooks.ManageDocks
import XMonad.Util.EZConfig(additionalKeys)
import System.IO

-CUT-

 } `additionalKeys`
    [ ((mod4Mask .|. shiftMask, xK_z), spawn "xscreensaver-command -lock"),
      ((0                     , 0x1008FF11), spawn "amixer -q sset Master 2%-"),
      ((0                     , 0x1008FF13), spawn "amixer -q sset Master 2%+"),
      ((0                     , 0x1008FF12), spawn "amixer set Master toggle")
    ]

'amixer' will set your volume. The '0' replacing mod4Mask allows you to tap the multimedia key without holding your mod key.

score 20 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 18 '20 at 12:57

See this Graphics.X11.ExtraTypes.XF86 for keys you want and add to your config file:

import Graphics.X11.ExtraTypes.XF86
myKeys conf@(XConfig {XMonad.modMask = modm}) = M.fromList $
[ ...
, ((0, xF86XK_AudioLowerVolume   ), spawn "amixer set Master 2-")
, ((0, xF86XK_AudioRaiseVolume   ), spawn "amixer set Master 2+")
, ((0, xF86XK_AudioMute          ), spawn "amixer set Master toggle")
...]

Mait · Answer 3 · 2013-12-20T08:54:33.010

If you're using pulseaudio, pactl also should work.

, ((0 , xF86XK_AudioRaiseVolume), spawn "pactl set-sink-volume 0 +1.5%")
, ((0 , xF86XK_AudioLowerVolume), spawn "pactl set-sink-volume 0 -- -1.5%")
, ((0 , xF86XK_AudioMute), spawn "pactl set-sink-mute 0 toggle")
]

0 is sink id. pactl list short sinks will show sink list.

pactl stat|grep 'Default Sink' | cut -f2 -d':'

will show current default sink. You can use sink name instead numeric id.

Doulble dash -- tells 'this is not option(like -h), just value' to pactl.

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 30 '15 at 01:15

If amixer set Master 2- does not work. Try amixer -D pulse set Master 2- instead. Also 2%- and 2%+ will change the volume by 2 percent, which may be easier to use. You can test these commands in the terminal to adjust them to your liking before you put them in you xmonad config file.

How do you make volume keys and mute key work in Xmonad

4 Answers4